Method of preheating moldable materials



March 18, 1941. s. T. MORELAND 2,235,324

METHOD OF PREHEATING MOLDABLE MATERIALS Filed Oct; 1.4-, 1957 (,7, w 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

IIQVENTOR. 5. 2? Morela nd,

March 18, 1941. s. 'T. MORELAND METHOD OF PREHEATING MOLDABLE MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1937 INVENTOR. J. Tfifiw elarwl,

Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES METHOD OF PREHEATING MOLDABLE MATERIALS Stephen T. Moreland, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company; a corporation 'of Ohio Application'October 14,1937, Serial No. 169,076

1 Claim. The present invention relates to a method of preheating moldable materials prior to their inmaterials is gradually, uniformly, and progresv sively raised to a predetermined degree by a direct heat transfer process.

Other objects of the invention, not at this time enumerated, will become apparent hereinafter. v

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is aperspective view of an apparatus for preheating moldable materials which is constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and shows the same operatively associated with a conventional molding machine;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus, certain parts thereof being shown in vertical section to more clearly reveal the nature of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2; and I Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an electrical temperature control circuit employed in connection with the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a conventional molding machine I0 is provided with a feeding device II for the molds l2 thereof. 2A feeder hopper I3 is adapted to receive therein the preheated mo1dr able material I4 for transfer in segregated amounts by the feedingdevice II to the molds The apparatus for preheating the moldable material l4 prior to delivery thereof to the hopper [3 comprises a table-like structure having supporting legs l5 between which are supported an upper platform I 6 and a lower platform ll.

A frame-like cradle l8 secured to the upper platform l6 has suspended therein by means of ad- *5 justable floating hangers, one of which is shown tation of the conveyor-trough in a manner subsequently to be described, the material fed onto the same by the hopper 20 adjacent the rear end thereof travels forwardly on the bottom 25. If desired, the bottom of the conveyor-trough may 5 be slightly inclined forwardly and downwardly as a further aid in causing progressive movement of the material on the same. An apron 26 or dust guard having its lower edge secured to the cover member 22 and its upper edge secured to the hopper 20 surrounds the'opening 2|. A glass sealed inspection opening 21 is provided on the cover member 22. i r Welded or otherwise secured to the underneath side of the conveyor-trough 23 and coextensive therewith so as to form a liquid-tight heating chamber 28, is a comparatively shallow troughlike shell 29 having an inlet connection 30 and an outlet connection 3| in the bottom thereof for ingress and egress of a suitable heating fluid 20 32 such as water, oil, glycerine or a glycerine derivative such as ethylene glycol or the like. A series of staggered baflles 33 (Fig. 3) that extend transversely of the chamber 28 serve to increase the distance of flow of the heating fluid through 25 the chamber and thus increase the effectiveness of the fluid in heating the bottom 25 of the conveyor-trough 23.

In order to cause the moldable material I 4 to be moved along the bottom 25 of the conveyortrough 23 from the hopper 20 to the chute 24, means is provided for agitating the entire unit 23, 29. Toward this end, theshell 29 is connected to and is in part supported by-the vibrator element 34 of an electro-magnetic vibrator 35 which is secured to a supporting block 36 mounted on the upperplatform l6. Aflexible strut 3'! extending between the block 36 and the shell 29 aids in supporting the unit. A similar electromagnetic vibrator 38 is connected to the supply 9 trough 20 to insure uniform flow of the moldable material l4 therefrom onto the bottom 25 of the conveyor-trough 23. By varying the frequency and/or amplitude of the impulses emitted by the vibrator 35, accurate gravimetric control of the material being fed to the feeder hopper I3 may be obtained. The vibrator 35 is so designed that the vibrations imparted to the conveyor-trough 23 causes the trough, within the limits of its vibration, to move forwardly and upwardly in one direction and rearwardly and downwardly in the other direction, thus imparting to the particles of .moldable material on the bottom 25 of the conveyor-trough 23 a pitching movement wherebyv they are constantly agitated and impelled forwardly on the conveyor bot- A photo-electric cell 30 and an energizing lamp ll therefor positioned in the supp y hopper 2| on opposite sides thereof, cooperate with each other in giving a visible or audible signal when thelevel of moldable material in the hopper falls below the level of these instrumentalities.

A supply tank 4|v (1 1g. 1) adapted to contain-a supply body of heating fluid 32 is mounted on the lower platfo inlet connection 42 which is connected by a flexible conduit 43 to the fluid outlet connection of theheating chamber 28. The tank, is provided with a fluid outlet connection 44 which is;

connected by a conduit 45 to the inlet side of a fluid pump P mounted on the lower platform H. The pump outlet is provided with a connection ll having a temperature indicator 41 therein and connected by a flexible connection 48 to the inlet connection 30 of the heating chamber 28. The

pump P is adapted to be driven by an electric motor M mounted on the lower platform l1;

It will be seen that when the pump P is in opera-tion, the heating fluid 32 will be forced under pressurethrough a continuous closed circuit and will pass from the bottom of the supply tank ll through the connections ll, 4!, pump P, connections 48, 48, heating chamber 28, and connections ll, 43 ,tothe upper end of the supply tank 4! A plurality of heating elements ill disposed within the supply tank 4! serve to heat thfluid therein, the operation of the elements 50 being controlled by a thermostat designed to'regulate thetemperature of the fluid in the tank.

The electrical circuits for controlling the operationrof the heating elements II are diagram-' maticall'y illustrated in Fig. 4. The heating ele-" ments to are connected in parallel through wires 0, b, a double pole electromagnetically controlled switch 8, wires c, d, and main operating switch -8 to a source of current supply B. The switch :5 is normally open'but is adapted to become closed upon'energization of its cell C. One terminal of the coil C is connected through a wire e to a pilot switch S which is actuated by the thermostat II. The switch 8 is connected to the source B throughwires i, d, and switch 8'.

The other terminal of the coil C is connected to the source B through wires 1, c, and switch 8;

Upon closing of the switch 8 if the temperature of the heating-fluid in thesupply tank ll is below a predetermined minimum,-current from the source B passes through the switch 8', wires 0, I, coil C, wire e, switch 8 wires i, d, and

' switch s backto thesource n; The coil c is thus energized and the switch 8 becomes closed thereby "supplying current from the source B directly to the heating units II in the manner previously indicated. The heating fluid in the tank is thus raised to the predetermined tem perature whereupon the thermostat 5| causes the pilot switch 8 tobebme open to de-energize the, coil C and shut off the sul plyof current to theheating units 50,

An adjusting means I is provided for advancing or retarding the opening and closing of i1 and is'provided with a fluid 'a to the bottom a of the vibrating conveyortrough 23 adjacent the rear end thereof is spread out in the form of a thin blanket and travels uniformly forwardly on thevtrough and in so traveling is agitated and evenly distributedthereover. Heat conducted through the relatively thin metal bottom 25 and radiated therefrom is assimilated by the particles of the material ll.

' It is to be noted that the heating fluid 32 enters the chamber 2! adjacent the forward end thereof and thus as it yieldsheat to the particles of material M on the bottom 25, it becomes progressively coolertoward the rear end of the chamber. Thus the relatively cold material is deposited on the bottom 25 in the cooler regions thereofand is progressively heated as it advances. By such an arrangement, uniform heating up to the desired temperatureis attained and scorching of the particles is prevented. 1

It is to be noted that the hottest particles leaving the discharge end of thec'onveyor-trough 23 are deposited directly in the feeder hopper It in which theyare permitted to pile up' to such an extent that the feeder hopper acts in the manner of a soaking pit. Thus during an interval immediately prior to introduction of the moldabie material to themolds of the molding machine an exchange of heat between the various adjacent particles inthe hopper l3 takes place until an; equalized temperature condition obtains therein.

By the provision of an apparatus which will,

principles of the invention and with the apparatus herein described, the normal production rate of from 20 to 24 caps per minute is increased to from to 40 caps per minute. 1

Modifications maybe resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim: a

In the molding of granular synthetic resins the method which consists'in so heating a substantially horizontal flat plate that the temperature thereof increases progressively from one end to the other, flowing granular moldable material onto the relatively cool end of the plate, vibrating the plate to cause movement of themoldable material in a continuous thin layer of substantially uniform. thickness over theuuppe'r'surfaceof the plate in a direction towards the none of higher temperature, automatically discharging and pil-' ing the material followingheating thereof and transferring measured quantities. of the material from said pile to formingmolds.

. s'rnrnnn- 'r. MORELAND, 

